Clients

Potential clients are generally brought to one of our monthly payment sessions by our existing clients, where we interview them and collect full details of their family and income. A decision is made later in the month by our team as to what support we might give; meanwhile they may be given an emergency payment as necessary.

Some examples of our clients and their needs:

1. R.P. The elderly husband is a long-term mental patient; his wife is retired and also sick. They depend on a married son who is a part-time security guard, earning little, with a wife and 3 young children to support, one of whom is awaiting an operation for bladder problems.

2. N.P. A deserted wife, with a son taking ‘A’-levels and 2 younger children at school. Gets money for food from her husband, but needs monies for all other expenses.

3. S.G. Widowed a year ago with 3 young children and an elderly mother-in-law. She makes a small income cooking breakfast food for a local shop. We have recently supplied a sewing-machine for home-working, as well as monthly payments.

4. R.U. Single elderly lady looking after a sick and disabled mother. She has little family support, but does some sewing work.

5. T.K. Young man of 32 with cerebral palsy, now unable to do any sort of work while awaiting a brain operation. He is looked after by his elderly mother who was recently widowed. They get some food and medical support from a church charity but we give money for other household needs.

6. M.P. An 80-year old single man living with another family, sleeping in their kitchen. He has a heart condition so we pay for his medicines and personal needs. We also paid for a cataract operation.

The sort of housing clients may be staying in in Kandy. The clients who were living in this shack on the side of an embankment, have thankfully now been moved to other accommodation.